Rake.



R. E. MCINTIRE.

BAKE.

APPLlcAnoN FILED DEc.a.1915.

1 ,278, 1 8 1. Patentedsept. 10,- 1918.

UNITED sTATEs PATENT oEErcE.

RICHARD E. MCINTIRE,' OF' CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR T0 INTERNATIONAL HARVESTER COMPANY OF NEW JERSEY,'A'CORPORATION OF N EW JERSEY.

BAKE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented sept. 1o, 1918.

Application filed December 8, 1915. Serial No. 65,684.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, RICHARD E. MCINTIRE, a citizen ofthe United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Rakes, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact speciication. e l

This invention relates to rakes, and more particularly to control mechanism associ` ated therewith.

One of the objects of this invention is to improve and simplify controll mechanisms for hay rakes.

Another object is to overcome shocks given to the various parts of the rake upon the falling of the rake head and teeth from raised to lowered position.

Another object is to provide a simplified rake construction adapted to meet the various requirements for successful commercial operation.

These and other objects are accomplished by providing` in a rake means for locking the rake in operative position, means for releasing the rake in operative position causing the same to be raised to inoperative position, means` to release the rake in Vinoperative position permitting it to fall'to operative position, and means for absorbing the shock of the fall of the rake. ,Y The invention is illustrated on the accompanying sheet of drawings, in which-` Figure 1 is a fragmentary side elevation of a rake embodying my invention, with the rake teeth shown in operative position;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary side elevation of the same rake, showing the rake teeth raised to inoperative,y position, Vwith 4the control parts in a corresponding position;

Fig. 3 is a detail view showing the `pawl and ratchet mechanism by -means of which the rake head and teethV are raised; and

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary plan view of the control mechanism of the rake showing the shock absorber in the connection between a stationary part of the main frame and the rake head. Y

The various novel features of my invention will be apparent from the following description and'drawings, and will be particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

The invention is illustrated in connection with a rake 10, having a frame 11l provided with a draft connection 12 and an operators including a link 33 pivoted to the seat 13, the rake being supported inthe usual way by ground wheels 14 having formed in the hubs thereof a ratchet 15 adapted to be engaged by the usual pawls 16 formed on the ends of oppositely extending rods 17 -having bent ends 18 engaging and retained in socket portions 19 of a casting 2,0 pivotally connected to a bracket 21 secured to the rake head 22. Secured to the under side of the rake head in any suitable manner are the usual rake teeth 23.' The casting 2O andbracket 21 are pivotally connected by a pin 24, around the ends of which pass spring members 25 which press against the ends of the rods 17 in a manner permitting the pawls to ride over the teeth of the ratchet 15 whenV one or theV other of the wheels moves rearwardly. Mounted in a thimble portion 26 of the casting 20 is a spring-pressed plunger 27 adapted to engage either of the two notches 28 or 29 formed in the top of the bracket 21.V Whenthe plunger 27 is in engagement with the notch 29, the pawls 16 are held out of engagement with the ratchet 15, but when theplunger is in engagement with the notch 28, the pawls are held .in engagement with the ratchet 15 for'the purpose of causing the rake head to be rotated and the rake teeth V23 to be raised under the influence of the forward movement of the ground wheels *14.V

The position of the plunger 27, and thereby the control of the raisingof the rake, is effected by afoot control lever 30 connected by a link 31 to the lower end of the pivotally mounted casting 20, in which theV plunger'27 is mounted. As shown in full lines in Fig..1, the plunger 27 isV in engagement with the rear notch 29, the pawls 16 being held outF of engagement with the lratchet 15,`the rake teeth 23 beingin their normal operative position for gathering hay. The rake head 22 and the rake teeth 23 are locked in this position by a collapsible connection between the rake head and a stationary part 32 of the frame, the connection stationary part 32 of the frame and a link 34 pivotally connected to a bracket 35 secured to the rake head 22. It will be noted that the free Vends 'of the links 33 and 34 are pivotally connected together and the lat-ter provided with an elongated slot 36 to permit ofsome play. For purposes of adjustment the casting 35 is provided with a series of openings 37 ,any

one of which may be used for the pivotal connection btween the bracket 35 and the link Bt.

As shown in Fig. 1 of the drawings, the pivotal point .38 between the links 33 and 34 is located above a straight line drawn between the point or center of connection 40 between the link 33 and the stationary part 32 et the traine, and the point oi' connection l1 between the link 3s and casting 85; in other words, the links and 3st form a locking toggle connection. To prevent this toggle connection from collapsing due to jarring and the like. a pin e2 in the lower end ot the toot lever i3 presses against the under side of the link 34 supporting the connection, the operator exerting the necessary pressure tnrough the lever 43.

To avoid breakage of any of the parts, it is essential that the locking toggle connection be broken or collapsed before the pawls 16 are thrown into engagement with the ratchet 15 for raising the rake teeth. For this purpose l have provided an interlock between the p iwl control lever 30 and the toggle connection` which interlock includes a projecting member il extending laterally Afrom the toot lever 30 and adapted to torce the lower end #l5 of the lever el?) downwardly as the toot lever BO pr ed forwardly for the purpose of throwing the pawl 1G into engagement with the ratchet 15; .in other words, when the lever El() is pushed fon wa-rdly from its full line position shown in 1, the projection il on the lever 30 presses against the cam portion of the arm Ll5 of lever 43, forcing said arm downwardly, and also the link 33 which is engaged by the arm l5, thereby collapsing or breaking the toggle connection and unlocking the rake teeth in their operative position. A continued forward movement of the lever 30 causes the plunger 27 to pass out of engagement with the. notch Q9 and into engagement with notch "2S, the pawls 16 thereby, through the connections described. being forced into engagement with the ratchet 15, whereupon the rake head Q2 is rotated and the rake teeth 23 raised as the ground wheels 1-l move 'forwardly The rake head 22 continues to rotate and the rake teeth to rise until the thimble portion 2G ot the casting Q0 passes into engagement with the trame member 4G, whereupon the plunger thrown out of engagement with the notch 2S and snapped back into engagement with the notch Q9, whereby the pawls 1C are thrown out of engagement with the ratchet 15, thereby permitting the rake teeth L3 to fall into operative position diu` to their own weight, the toggle locking connection automatically7 falling into locking position, as shown in full lines in Fig. 1.

rllhe rake head and teeth in falling back into operative position, do so with consider able force, which would cause quite a jar to the various parts were some shock absorbing means not provided. l have provided shock absorbing means for the desired purpose, which shock absorbing means forms a part of the locking` or toggle connection. More specifically stated, the means tor absorbing shocks is located in the link member Belconnecting the link 33 with the casting secured to the rake head A, U-shaped member 50 is mounted lin the link lil and is provided with eye portions 51 passing around the pivotal connecting pin 38 between the links and 34, the opposite end ot' the U-shapcd member 5() passing through a slotted portion (30 of the link 34 and being engaged by a hook 52 formed on one end of i rod 53, surrounding which is a coiled spring 54 interposed between the head 55 of the rod 53 and a shoulder portion 56 of a socket portion 5r ot the link Se, said socket portion being pivotally connected to the casting of the rake head 22. By means of this arrangement it is apparent that any shock due to the falling ot' the rake head and teeth from inoperative position to operattive position will be absorbed by the spring 5l in the toggle connection, the length of the slot 3G in link 3e and the strength of the spring,determining the degree of shock abso 'ption.

lt is apparent that there may be various modifications of. the arrangement herein shown and described, and it is my intention to cover all such modications which do not involve a departure from the spirit and scope of my invention.

l'Yvlha-t I claim as new is:

1. In a rake, the combination of a rake head, rake teeth secured thereto, a toothed member secured to said rake head, a member connected thereto having a plunger for engagin the teeth thereof to determine inoperative and operative rake actuating positions. a control member operatively connected to said plunger carrying member, and means for locking said rake head and teeth in operative position, said locking means being controlled as to its unlocking action by said control member.

2, In a rake, the combination of a rake head, rake teeth secured thereto, control means including` a control lever whereby the rake head and teeth may be caused to be actuated, a locking connection for locking the rake head and teeth in operative position and being engageable by said control lever, and shock absorbing means in said connection for absorbing shocks on a lowering movement of said rake head and teeth.

In a rake, the combination olf a frame, a rake head connected thereto, rake teeth secured t-o said rake head, locking means between said i'rame and rake head having means for absorbing shocks including a spring containing socket, and meansrfor con,- trolling said locking means.

4. In a rake, the combination of a frame, a rake head having teeth secured thereto, a locking link connection between said iframe and rake head, a lever for holding the connection in locking position, a control lever for engaging said holding lever to collapse the link connection between said frame and rake head and means carried by said link connection for absorbing shocks.

5. In a rake, the combination of a frame,

Copies ofthis' patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressing the Washington, D. C.

a rake head having teeth secured thereto, a locking link connection between said frame and rake head, a lever for holding the connection in locking position, a control lever for engaging said holding lever to collapse the link connection between said frame and rake head for permitting said rake teeth'to be raised, and shock absorbing means in said link connection for absorbing shocks upon the lowering of said rake head and teeth.

Y In testimony whereof I ailix my signature.

RICHARD E. MGINTIRE.

Commissioner of Patents, 

